Directed by Philip Kaufman, the multi-storied, epic, wonderfully acted, and subversive The Right Stuff (adapted from Tom Wolfe's book of the same name) tells the story of the Mercury crew with sprawling attention to detail and a heap of credit to Chuck Yeager. Yeager, played by a laconic, charismatic Sam Shephard in Gary Cooper mode (only, with more smolder) begins the tale as a test pilot who first breaks the sound barrier. He lives an Old West existence, drinking hard in a saloony bar with the other test pilots (many who died during what can only be described as suicide missions), riding his horse and flying— at such dangerous speeds and heights that it leads his wife (Barbara Hershey) to wonder at the sanity of anyone married to one of these guys. Though Yeager never became an astronaut, it's his spirit that hangs over the picture. Before the Mercury crew did anything, Yeager seemed to do everything—he was the rough-and-tumble pioneer and, in this picture's case, the wisest crew member. As the three-hour-and-thirteen-minute film unfolds, Kaufman will return to Yeager as he silently and cynically watches the Space Race begin.

When that occurs, The Right Stuff almost glaringly, shifts gears. Competing with the Russians, NASA needed to chuck some men into space ("Spam in a can" Yeager remarks) with all the hype and puffed-up heroism the American public yearned for. Searching for pilots, they shrewdly combed through men with both the chops and the looks to put a good face on their program. Of the astronauts chronicled, four get the most focus: Gordon "Hot Dog" Cooper (Dennis Quaid|), the young, cocksure flyboy who pronounces himself the "best." Gordon's buddy, Gus Grissom (Fred Ward), a rough-faced, playful hombre, who's revealed as slightly insecure and later, tortured about a crucial decision. Alan Shepard (Scott Glenn), the Navy flyer who's humor and forthright manner make him the crew's secret favorite (he's privately chosen to be first in Space). And John Glenn (Ed Harris, perfect) the aw-shucks, corn-fed media darling who was already famous before entering the program.

Though the characters introduced are writ large (and, we gather, that's how these competitive men would introduce themselves in real life), Kaufman lingers on them long enough to shade their Colgate smiles. And, though some of the astronauts were renown for their rowdy antics and womanizing, it's their insecurities and their privately heroic acts that acquire specific meaning. Glenn's orbiting of the Earth is awe-inspiring, but it's the way he stands up for his wife (against LBJ) that's almost more powerful. And though NASA, the circus-like media and the overwhelming significance of their missions figure prominent, it's the men's individuality and eventual love for one another that remains potent. When the astronauts are given an enormous, LBJ-hosted Texas-style BBQ, complete with a nude fan dance by Sally Rand, the film sums up beautifully how both epic and intimate the journey has become. As Rand dances seductively, the massive capacity arena hushes and the men look at her not with lust, but with their own private, group acknowledgement.

It's splendid moments like this that make

The Right Stuff

such an engaging, unique movie, even where it'schoppy and unwieldy. As we learn in the impressive two-disc DVD set, it was originally a five-hour-cut, which explains why the film seems, ironically, like a really long, rushed movie. Nicely transferred to widescreen anamorphic (1.854:1) the film retains vivid color (the period detail is impeccable), but in some scenes, the high-contrast is dark. If the transfer isn't perfect, cinematographer Caleb Deschanel's photography still maintains its excellence. The sound (very important to this film) is in Dolby Digital 5.1 complimenting the jet noises, bustling crowd scenes and inspirational score by Bill Conti.

Disc One contains the movie and a small Cast and Crew and Awards menu offering text only. Surprisingly, there is no full commentary. Disc Two comes with the goodies: In similarly edited scenes, a 25-minute cut of the film offers two commentary tracks, first with the cast—including Quaid, Ward, Hershey, Yeager (who has a cameo in the picture), and others. The second commentary has the Filmmakers chatting—Kaufman, producers, and composer Conti,. Most just remark briefly on thematic, production, and historical perceptions of the film. There's no steady stream of thought here, making much of the commentary rather forgettable.

Under "Documentaries" three featurettes are presented. "Realizing the Right Stuff" has cast members reminiscing about the experience (they all turn into a tight-knit group of friends), as well as production and casting discussion by the filmmakers. Writer Wolfe is included, though not as much as we'd like. "T-20 Years and Counting" looks at the film's ground-breaking special effects, which remain stunning, even more beautiful than much of the CGI we see in current films. Also interesting is the inclusion of the film's reception—it was looked at suspiciously when released, as it coincided with John Glenn's bid for US President. A shame because, though the film has a patriotic feel to it, its not a simplistic Ra-Ra-America movie by any means. The best doc is "The Real Men with the Right Stuff," the shortest (only 15 minutes) but most fascinating featurette. Interviewees include Yeager (a sprightly, likable, piquant fellow) and astronauts Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, and Walter Schirra who, in some instances, don't agree with the film's depiction.

Other extras include "Additional Scenes" and the "Interactive Timeline to Space," in which you click through the Mercury mission all the way to the current Space Shuttle tragedy and beyond. "John Glenn: American Hero" is an involving PBS documentary, full of terrific archival footage, interviews and insights into Glenn. The extras conclude with the film's "Theatrical Trailer" almost as if to remind us we actually watched a movie and not the history lesson that followed.

Which is appropriate since The Right Stuff isn't pure history (but then, what truly is?). A beautiful, lumbering movie, The Right Stuff is a singular epic in the annals of BIG films. Though a bit overstuffed, it's moving and inspirational, cynical and heroic, large and intimate. How many pictures can boast all that?